“Through rain or snow… in hard times or joyful times… until our black hair turns gray…” These are the vows that everyone makes to each other at the time of marriage.

A murder case occurred where the jury did not convict the perpetrator. This is despite the fact that the perpetrator himself called the police, confessed to the crime, and even submitted the shotgun used in the murder as evidence. This incident happened recently in Texas, USA. The story goes like this: An elderly man in his 80s, who had been in love with his wife since high school, married her, had children, and even grandchildren, and lived a life full of love, shot and killed his wife with a shotgun. The reason? After years of caring for his wife, who had dementia, the man learned from his doctor that he himself had prostate cancer and only a few months to live. He agonized over who would take care of his wife after his death and, after much thought, decided to kill her first and then take his own life. According to those around them, this elderly couple had been known as a devoted and loving pair throughout their lives. The jury in court declared the man not guilty of murder.

I once saw a sad story on the news about an elderly man who suffocated his wife with dementia while she was sleeping and then hanged himself. This happened in a family that, while not wealthy, lived happily with devoted children and adorable grandchildren. The shock was even greater because of the family’s seemingly harmonious life. In his suicide note, the elderly man wrote, “I chose this path because I didn’t want to burden my children emotionally or financially any longer.”

“Where can I get a gun?” “Why? You can find plenty at a gun shop…” “No, never mind.” “???”

The above conversation is about an elderly man who had been caring for his wife with dementia for over five years. After exhausting all his savings, he felt burdened to ask his children for help. Struggling with diabetes himself, he thought, “Oh dear, who will take care of my wife if I go first? She won’t survive in a nursing home. I should end her life with my own hands before I die.” He planned to buy a gun, but unfortunately, he passed away shortly after, and his wife was eventually sent to a nursing home. This man was once a prominent figure in Korean politics, wielding significant influence.

As seen in these three cases, it’s hard to place blame on anyone for these tragic events. With scientific evidence now showing that frequent forgetfulness in old age is an early symptom of dementia (MCI—Mild Cognitive Impairment), we should not dismiss similar symptoms in ourselves as trivial. Who can confidently say that such incidents have nothing to do with them?

While it’s clear that Alzheimer’s (dementia) is a frightening disease, and the examples above are indeed alarming, one might argue, “Why don’t you tell us how to prevent and treat it instead of just scaring us?” The author has frequently given lectures through media and seminars on how to address this disease. However, we must reflect on how willing we are to change the bad habits in our lives.

Excessive drinking, overeating, smoking, and stress—everyone knows how harmful these are, yet we continue to indulge in them. The author has repeatedly emphasized the importance of consuming brain-activating medicines or foods whenever the opportunity arises. They even announced that they would provide detailed consultations to anyone who contacted them via phone or email, but only two people have reached out so far. What we need most is the will to live healthily. With such determination and consistent, diligent effort, a healthy life can be guaranteed.